Medical Makeover Series The Personalized Approach to Weight Loss: Sarah's Medical Makeover

Welcome to my medical makeover blog, where we take a closer look at real-life medical cases and provide actionable tips and strategies for achieving optimal health. Today, we'll be discussing the case of a 33-year-old woman who has been struggling with weight loss despite her efforts to eat healthy and exercise regularly.

Let's start with the backstory. Our patient, let's call her Sarah, has been experiencing difficulty losing weight for the past year. She reports not having much of an appetite and only eating one full meal per day, with some snacking throughout the day. She also mentions that she hasn't been exercising regularly enough. Over the past year, she has gained around 20 pounds, mainly in her stomach and love handles.

At first glance, it may seem like Sarah's weight gain is simply a result of her diet and exercise habits. However, upon further investigation, I discovered that there might be some underlying medical conditions at play.

During her initial evaluation, Sarah reported feeling fatigued and was not aware of any medical conditions but during her examination her BMI was 33. It had been over a year since her last visit with her primary care physician. I ordered a complete lab panel to investigate further.

The lab results revealed that Sarah had hypothyroidism, a condition where the thyroid gland doesn't produce enough hormones. This can lead to a slower metabolism, making it harder to lose weight. Additionally, her blood sugar and insulin levels were elevated, indicating that she had prediabetes and insulin resistance, respectively.

To treat Sarah's hypothyroidism, I prescribed Armour thyroid medication, which contains a combination of hormones that the thyroid gland cannot produce enough of. This would help to improve Sarah's metabolism and energy levels.

To help with Sarah's insulin resistance and prediabetes, I recommended a medication called Wegovy. This medication is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that helps to regulate blood sugar levels and can lead to weight loss. It works by slowing down the stomach's emptying process, making you feel fuller for longer and reducing your appetite.

In addition to medication, I recommended a change in diet to help manage Sarah's insulin resistance and prediabetes. I suggested that Sarah adopt the i.Rebel weight loss program which focuses on high fiber, high protein, low glycemic and anti-inflammatory foods and focuses on sustainable weight loss changes.

I also encouraged Sarah to engage in regular exercise, and try Stop 30, which are thirty second stents of exercise anytime, anywhere as many times throughout the day as tolerated to provide a cumulative approach to exercise versus trying to carve out time during the day to go to the gym and exercise until she is able to arrange her schedule around focused exercise activity.

Finally, I recommended that Sarah make some lifestyle changes to improve her overall health. This included getting enough sleep, reducing stress, and avoiding unhealthy habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.

In conclusion, Sarah's case highlights the importance of a comprehensive evaluation and personalized medical makeover plan for optimal health. By identifying and treating underlying medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism and insulin resistance, and utilizing medications such as Armour thyroid and Wegovy, we can help patients achieve their weight loss and health goals. With the right support, diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes, we can help patients like Sarah live healthier, happier lives. To date, Sarah is down 10 pounds and says her clothes are fitting looser now.